Researchers at Trinity Partners have identified three major obstacles that are slowing the uptake of biosimilars in the US. These include biosimilars pricing, legal and promotional wars being waged by originator companies, and the lack of confidence in biosimilars. In this article biosimilars pricing is discussed.

Biosimilars uptake in the US has been slow to say the least, but what are the reasons for this? Researchers at Trinity Partners have come up with three major obstacles to increasing uptake of biosimilars in the US.

During the European Commission’s (EC) third workshop on biosimilars, which was held in Brussels, Belgium on 5 May 2017 [1], the EC launched its new information guide on biosimilars for healthcare professionals.

The third Multi-stakeholder Workshop on Biosimilar Medicinal Products included a session on ‘Building Stakeholder Confidence in Biosimilar Medicines through Evidence-Based Information Sharing’ [1]. The session focused on clinical experience of switching and clarifying definitions of ‘interchangeability’ between the US and the European Union (EU).

The importance of having a collaborative approach for the use of biosimilars was a topic discussed during the European Commission’s (EC) third Multi-stakeholder Workshop on Biosimilar Medicinal Products, which was held in Brussels, Belgium on 5 May 2017 [1].

Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved fewer generics in 2017 (101) compared to 2016 (118). However, 2017 also saw a large proportion of new registrations of immunotherapies and human monoclonal antibodies, while the listing of new ‘first generic’ medicines triggered a statutory 16% price reduction under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). In addition, the agency also approved three new biosimilars.

In the third Multi-stakeholder Workshop on Biosimilar Medicinal Products organized by the European Commission [1], it included a session on ‘Biological Medicines Access Mechanisms: Balancing Access and Freedom of Prescription’. The session was designed to explore whether the EU Public Procurement Directive is fit for purpose in benefitting patient access and safety, physician choice, security of supply and sustainability of an affordable healthcare system, including innovation in new medicines and availability of biosimilars.

The European Commission held a Stakeholder Event on Biosimilar Medicinal Products in Brussels, Belgium on 5 May 2017. During this event Dr Hans Ebbers of the Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB/CBG) in The Netherlands discussed how interchangeability for biosimilars is established in the US.